Panagiotis Velentzas

Panagiotis Velentzas is an Instructor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), affiliated with the T.H. Chan School of Medicine. His research focuses on autophagy mechanisms, developmental biology, and cell death processes using Drosophila as a model system. Dr. Velentzas holds a BS in Biology and a PhD in Cell Biology & Biophysics from the University of Athens, Greece.

Research Interests: Dr. Velentzas investigates autophagy regulation in development and disease, particularly the role of PINK1, Keap1, and endoplasmic reticulum clearance during metamorphosis. His work also explores proteasome function in Drosophila development, including its effects on eye/wing morphogenesis and cellular stress responses. Key topics include Drosophila oogenesis, eggshell morphogenesis (s36/s38 proteins), and the interplay between apoptosis, autophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Collaborations: He collaborates with prominent researchers such as Eric Baehrecke (autophagy expert) and Neal Silverman (immunology), contributing to high-impact studies like the Autophagy journal guidelines (2016, 2804 citations). His work spans molecular mechanisms (e.g., Ral GTPase/exocyst regulation, Relish-NF-κB signaling) and technical advancements (e.g., Drosophila pupal intestine isolation methods).

Publications: His 20+ publications in Cell, Developmental Biology, and STAR Protocols reflect a focus on Drosophila models to study fundamental biological processes. Notable contributions include elucidating autophagy's role in developmental cell death and characterizing proteins critical for eggshell formation.